PORT ST. LUCIE — A day after SNY analyst Ron Darling said the Mets should go to a five-man rotation instead of having to “work around” Kodai Senga’s preference to pitch in a six-man rotation, Senga threw live batting practice on a back field and looked good again.
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Carlos Mendoza, when asked about the possibility of going to a five-man rotation, told The Post it was not currently a consideration.
“We have six starters,” Mendoza said.
If everyone remains healthy, Senga will be joined in the rotation by Opening Day starter Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Sean Manaea and Nolan McLean.
Of those starters, Mendoza said Peralta is likely the only one who won’t be asked to pitch on an extra day’s rest, but he will talk with the rest of the rotation about their usage.
Senga’s next outing will come in a Grapefruit League game and the Mets have been encouraged by the intensity with which he has attacked this spring.
And before they make any decisions about how to best utilize their rotation, they want to make sure everyone remains in good form throughout the spring.
Carlos Mendoza is pictured before the Mets’ Feb. 21 game. Imagn Images
Last spring training, the Mets lost Manaea to a strained oblique and Frankie Montas to a strained lat.
So far, the rotation is in solid shape — and they hope it remains that way, as Holmes and McLean head to the WBC to pitch for Team USA.
Holmes was impressive again in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Houston at Clover Park, integrating his cutter into his arsenal more.
He allowed one run in four innings.
He threw the cutter 21 percent of the time Sunday after using it just 8.3 percent of the time a year ago.
Holmes said the pitch “felt good” and could help augment his sinker.
Ron Darling is pictured Jan. 24. Getty Images
Mendoza added if Holmes can use it effectively and add it to his sinker/sweeper mix, it will make the right-hander even better.
“There’s so much movement, life, sink and cut on his pitches,” the manager said.
The Mets announced after Sunday’s game that right-hander Alex Carrillo was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse and lefties Anderson Severino and Matt Turner were reassigned to minor league camp.
The moves left the Mets with 70 players in major league camp.
Cristian Pache, known primarily for his defense in the outfield throughout his career, has hit well so far this spring.
He added a double Sunday.
“He’s an elite defender,” Mendoza said. “Offensively, his at-bat quality, he’s hit the ball hard up the middle and run the bases [well]. There are a lot of tools there. It’s good to see the results.”
St. John’s announced the athletic department would honor the life of longtime Mets media relations official and St. John’s alumna Shannon Forde on Tuesday during the men’s basketball game versus Georgetown at Madison Square Garden.
Forde passed away 10 years ago from breast cancer.
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